Download Module 10: Inter-Group Relations Lecture 39: Theories of

Module 10: Inter-Group Relations
Lecture 39: Theories of inter-group relations
The Lecture Contains:
Why to study inter-group relations?
Freudian Theory
Realistic conflict theory
Social identity theory
Equity theory
Relative deprivation theory
Elite theory
Five-stage model
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Module 10: Inter-Group Relations
Lecture 39:Theories of inter-group relations
Why to study inter-group relations?
Given that social psychology aims to study human experiences and behaviour in social
situations within the socio-historical contexts, studies of ways to improve inter-group harmony
and prevent inter-group conflicts have had social psychologists interested in. Whether it is
multi-ethnic society, migration, international relations, war or ethnic conflicts, social
psychological studies of inter-group relations becomes a socially relevant topic of study. The
theories of inter-group relations help understand various explanations for the ways people of
one group relate to the other group members. These also tend to explain the reasons for
frequently observed conflicts between two groups of people. Following are the social
psychological theories of inter-group relations:
– Freudian Theory
– Realistic conflict theory
– Social identity theory
– Equity theory
– Relative deprivation theory
– Elite theory
– Five-stage model
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Module10: Inter-Group Relations
Lecture 39:Theories of inter-group relations
Freudian Theory
According to Sigmund Freud, the inter-group relations are often marked by the group members’
positive feelings about their own group (in-group) and negative feelings about the other groups
(out-group). He attributed this to the basic nature of human emotions that, according to him,
are guided by the unconscious motives of love as well as hostility. Love of all the members is
directed towards the group and the group leader but hostility is displaced towards other groups.
For Freud, the inter-group conflicts are not because of any conflicts related to a clash in
material or social interests of different group. He thought of the unconscious motives of the
persons leading to such conflicts in the group settings. Many theorists differed from his
understanding of the cause of inter-group conflicts.
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Module 10: Inter-Group Relations
Lecture 39:Theories of inter-group relations
Realistic conflict theory
Muzafer Sherif, a social psychologist who did some classic experiments to understand inter group relations, provided some important insights into the phenomenon. According to his
research findings, inter-group conflicts occur due a competition over scarce resources. The
scarce resources that become a ground for competing could be either material (e.g., money,
physical space) or social (e.g., status or power). These conflicts resolved through a superordinate goal, that is a goal for which the groups at conflict have to work towards a common
or mutually acceptable goal by combining their existing resources.
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Module 10: Inter-Group Relations
Lecture 39:Theories of inter-group relations
Social identity theory
Henri Tajfel (1978), through his experiments, brought to the fore ‘achieving and maintaining a
positive social identity’ as an important process influencing inter-group relations. A part of a
person’s self concept is related to the value and emotions that he/she attaches to being a
member of a group or a set of groups. Through the experiments conducted by him and his
associates, he could notice that the mere perception or awareness of being categorized into a
group (in-group) and not the other (out-group) creates a favourable attitude towards members
of the in-group and a negative attitude towards the out-group members.
Recent research has shown that such an inter-group discrimination is more associated with
situations where people perceive that the social order or the sociopolitical hierarchy in which
their groups are placed is unstable or illegitimate.
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Module 10: Inter-Group Relations
Lecture 39:Theories of inter-group relations
Equity theory
Equity theory is based on the assumption that a person or a group desires that justice
prevails in the relationship with other person or group. People feel distressed once they
perceive injustice in the relationship. This justice or injustice is based on the comparison of
the ratio of outcomes and inputs of one group with the other. Following are the diagram for
the conditions of equity and inequity:
EQUITY
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Module 10: Inter-Group Relations
Lecture 39:Theories of inter-group relations
Equity theory (contined…)
INEQUITY
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Module 10: Inter-Group Relations
Lecture 39:Theories of inter-group relations
Relative deprivation theory
Relative deprivation theory posits that a group’s satisfaction about its position in the society is
not related any objective situation. It is rather associated with comparison with other group’s
position. The group’s dissatisfaction is rooted in the its comparison with a ‘better off’ group
especially when the group members feel that they are capable of achieving a better position
and that they deserve to do so.
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Module 10: Inter-Group Relations
Lecture 39:Theories of inter-group relations
Elite theory
Elite theory tends to explain the relationship between the majority and the minority groups. It
assumes that the society is governed by the elites and those who are ruled are the non-elites.
In societies where the talented members of a non-elite group have equal opportunity to
become the elites who can govern, the conflicts may not arise between the elites and the
non-elites. However, if the such an openness of flow of talented members to power is not
there, then inter-group conflicts may arise.
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Module 10: Inter-Group Relations
Lecture 39:Theories of inter-group relations
Five-stage model
The five-stage model proposed by Taylor and McKirnan (1984) follows the following structure :
Stage 1 : Rigidity in group stratification based on societal categories such as class, gender
etc.
Stage 2 : A perception begins to emerge that it is the performance and the ability of
individuals that shape group membership.
Stage 3: The talented members of the disadvantaged group attempt for upward
mobility.
Stage 4: If the upward mobility is not successful, then they engage in ‘consciousness raising’
and collective movement against the advantaged group.
Stage 5: The inter-group harmony is maintained until neither of the groups dominate the other.
In case of a relative inequality due to the dominance of a group, the groups may return to any
of the earlier stages.
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